Welcome! Where do you hail from? Most of us are from either Vic or Qld.

Time to draw and fill comb depends on the amount of nectar flowing at the time and how well established your colony is. I put an 8 frame super on one of my hives in the back yard at xmas, when I got back after a trip away and opened it up 3 weeks later the comb was drawn and half of it was capped with honey. 8-)

Near Napoleons in Victoria, I bought two queens back in October at Marong, VAA feild day. Lost one and had a wsarm and another queen deposited in the brood box. Seeing some brood developing in both boxes.

I sort of know the area you're in. a mate of mine's parents moved to Dereel a few years back. It's good to even out the state a bit. We have one down in Gipsland, 2 on the Mornington Peninsular (or close to it), 1 in Fitzroy/Healesville, 1 in Wonga Park and myself in Coburg.

I started keeping about the same time as you. I bought a nuc from Kangaroo Island and was given a feral hive that was taken out of someone's meter box. Both of them are going great guns. I'm in suburbia and so far there has been always something flowering. What do you have around you? I haven't been to Dereel in a couple of years now, but my memory is that there were a lot of Eucalypts in the area. I didn't have the big interest in what type then, but the importance is the time of year that they flower. If you put a fresh super on when the most common tree flowers, the bees will probably fill it in no time. Obviously if there is not much for the bees to feed on, they will take longer.

We have Manna, swamp. scent bark eucalypts plus your graden variety flowers and vegies. I think. I have been using a book by Alan Clemson on trees and shrubs. Flowering seems mainly in Dec, Jan and Feb. This depends on rains, drought and temperature. I have read somewhere that the bees from King island are very gentle. The bees are something starting with L. I do not know what this means as the two hives I have get their dose of smoke and seem contented enough.I continue to read to find out more and more.

Depending on the time of year, the temperature, the flow, the need for drawn comb, the population of bees, the stage of buildup, anywhere from forever down to a week. That should narrow it down for you... ;)

Slicko,How did you know I'd read this post? And I bumped right into it. In the dark. You haven't ribbed me for over a week now, Slicko, and I thought it was safe to venture out.

Welcome Philmar. I have never heard of Napoleons. To effectively draw comb, you need a piece of paper and a very sharp pencil, and a compass to get the correct angle of all the hexagons, and a lot of spare time. Hope that helps.

Speaking of mexicans, banana benders and other australian species, I was thinking we should have a special Ventrilo a la Oz for Australia Day next Tuesday, maybe instead of this Friday. Philmar and others, you can read up on the ventrilo a la oz post if you like and hopefully join in with the larrikins. It's a voice chat and typing chat program, and we try to make a specially ozzie time. I'll update details in that topic, and maybe send you all a personal reminder notice.